Refrigerated storage cabinet



ug. 30, 1949. H. FOWLER 2,480,649

REFRIGERATED STORAGE CABINET Filed March 1, 1.946 2 sheets-sheet l positions. The track 22 also may have stop means 23 thereon as shown in Fig. 3 and arranged to be engageable with stop means 25 on the base 2 to limit outward pivotal movement of the movable section 6 so that it will not strike the wall at the insulated to prevent the penetration of heat into the storage compartment of the movable section. The rearward projection of the rear corner of the portion 29 will not interfere with the opening of the movable section since such refrigerated structures are normally spaced a few inches from the wall for Ventilation purposes. Therey fore" complete insulation of the section 6 may be assured.

As shown, the base 2 is provided on one side with drawers 28 or other storage means which Imay `or may not`be refrigerated, whereas the opposite side 28 of the base serves as a housing fora compressor and motor or other elements of the refrigerating mechanism (not shown). 'Ifhe stationary section 4 has a storage compartment 30 which is insulated about its top, bottom and side Walls whereas the lateral face I6 of the compartment 30 may be suitably constructed and insulated to maintain therdesired low tempera.n

ture in thestationary section. 'I'his section preferably is designed rto be maintained at a relatively low temperature, say fromV +10 F. to 10 F. for receiving Vfrozen fruits, vegetables or `other which articles to be frozen may be placed.` However,'if desired the face'i of Athe stationary sec- Ation can beformed of metal or vother` heat conducting material Vfor thefpur'pose of refrigerating the VmovableY section 6 'when' in its normal closed position.

Doors or drawers 34 are mounted on the sta- -tionary'section to close the compartment 30 and are arranged to open in a direction toward the movable section to provide'access to the compartment 3D when the movable section 6 is swung 7 to the open position shown in Fig. 1. The door 7 or drawer` fronts 34; preferably are formed of Y insulating material butmay be formed of metal or other material which will transmit heat so that they combine'to provide the equivalent of a refrigerated plate for reducing the temperature of the Wstoragecompartment 36 in the movable section 6. On the other hand the storage compartment 7.30 remains closed even when the movable section A6 is swung open so that there is no excessive heat loss or increase in temperature of the compartment 3|] during normal u se ofthe refrigerator. l As shown in Fig. 2 the stationary section 4 also is provided with a door 38 pivotally mounted on its opposite vertical wall40 to provide access to the storagecompartment 30 without moving the section B or to enable articles within the cornpartment 30 to be reached more easily. The stationary sectionf therefore may be of a width and depth considerably greater than hasbeen possible heretofore so that itsV capacity lmay be relatively large withoutdecreasing its accessability or causing inconvenience t the user. l

The movable storage'c'mpartment 6 is pro- `able section 6.

The front wall 44 and the end wall 21 of the section 6 are insulated but one of these walls, and preferably end wall 2l, is provided with a door 48 which provides access to the storage compartment 36 of the movable section without moving the section with respect to the base and stationary section. The rear face 5G of the section 6 is uninsulated and preferably is entirely open but since it lies adjacent the rear wall 8 when thesection is in its normal closed position there is little or no heat loss through the rear face. Similarly, the lateral face 52 of the movable section iszuninsulated and is providedwith aV door 46 open throughout the greater part of kits area toaford feasy accessibility to products stored thereon.. The face 52 also is uninsulated in those constructions in which the movable section is refrigerated by transfer of heat through the lateral face i6 of the stationary section 4.

The compartment 36 may thus be made relatively large and much wider and deeper than the i sections of ordinary refrigerators of the prior art without inconvenience to the user or limiting access to its interior. Furthermore, in the preferred form of my `invention the movable section '.6 `is refrigerated-by a coil/54V mounted on the verticalrear wallS ofthe structure and. in posi- '."tion to project into the storage compartment 36.

f This coll may .be supplied withrefrigerant under Ycontrol of a thermostat connected in any conven- -productsor to serve as a quick freezing unit in u,

tional manner to the refrigerating system and suitablyloca'ted as shown diagrammatically at 55 soas'to maintain the compartment 36 at a Ypredetermined temperature, say. 40 F., independently'of the temperature Ymaintained in the stationary compartments. "I hecoils and refrigerating'means employed for refrigerating the stationary section 4 may be of any preferred form or type, but I prefer to ar- Vwin the stationary section.

' range theV coils at 56 within the storage compartment 3E ofthev stationary section 4 in such a Way that they' serve as shelves or supports for the drawers 34 and thus assurev the most adequate heat transfer for cooling or `freezing the articles The temperature of the compartment 3f! in the stationary section may be maintained by an independent thermostat. 55.

With this construction the wallV space occupied by the'refrigerator may be limited since the confinstruction may be greater in depth thana conventional refrigerator and yet the interior of each 'compartment is fully accessible-by reason Vof the doorsV 4or openings'located ontwo Aor more sides of the compartment. Furthermore, the compartmentsn may be maintained at different temperatures so that milk,V fruit vand similar. products can be' preserved vinv the movable storage. compartf ment while frozen foods are stored in the stationary compartment. Y'

""' In lthatiormV of my" invention adjacent oneor the other of .the outer ivertlcal Moige: of 'an extended insulated' rear ,wa-i1 l! sections 62- and 64 therefore Vitl-lay be moved into and out of the closed positions asl shown in full lines in Fig. 5 Vwherein theycoopei'ate with the central-section and are refrigerated thereby. At the saine time, the opposite. outer faces of the compartments 52 and td are providediwith doors i4 and "it through which access tothe compartments may beattained' without moving thersec, tions relative to the stationary vcentral'section 5D. it will also be apparent as showninFigsl d and 5 that the doors -14 and it may themselves be 'in the form of separate. compartments .which oon.- tan articles tobe preserved and these compartments may project beyond the base if desired to provide the maximuirn-storagecapacity with a limited floor space and to render articles readily available to the user. y

The central section Bp also is provided with an access door'fl-Sfso that articles may be stored in the central section and access :may be had ther-etc eit er through the door 1,8 or through drawers 80 and 82y located on the opposite yerti-cal f of ,th- Kntral .sectionwhch'pooperates with .the movablefsectio'ns 62 and' G4. V"Ih'efse vertical faces may be insulated to maintaineacl compartment lata 'pretermined temprature independently of any other compartment or't'he vertical faces may be formed of metal or other material which will ,commettent readily a0 its?? they each as a refrigerating element for maintaining the storage compartments of the movable sections 62 and 64 at the desired low temperature, In order that one of the movable sections may be maintained at a different temperature from the other the fronts of drawers 80 and 82 may be formed of material having different heat transmitting and refrigerating characteristics. The coils 84 and 86 or other refrigerating means employed for cooling the movable sections of the refrigerator are preferably located on the rear wall 'l2 in position to project into the storage compartments of the movable sections and are located at 88 in the stationary section in position to form supports for the drawers 39 and 82 which open toward opposite vertical faces of the central stationary section 60.

The general assembly and movement of the sections in this form of my invention is similar to that previously described but the accessibility and utility as well as the capacity of the refrigerator can be greatly increased without a corresponding increase in the wall space or the use of separate refrigerated structures. Furthermore, three selected refrigerating temperatures may be maintained within the refrigerator whereas each compartment is accessible from at least two sides although access may be had to any one section without reference to any other.

As further illustrated in Fig. 6 the shelves, racks or other supports 90 for articles stored in the movable sections may themselves be pivoted for movement relative to the insulated outer Walls of the section. For this purpose the shelves are mounted on a frame 92 pivoted on hinges 94 on the rear wall B of the structure. The pivots about which hinges 94 move are in axial alignment with the pivots l2 about which the section itself is movable and therefore the shelves and section may be moved together or independently as desired for the purpose of greater accessibility and utility.

While I have illustrated and described two particular forms of refrigerator embodying my invention it will be evident that the various elei' adjacent Said side ments 'are capablenf many other arrangements and: changes in form, size' and combination with; but departing from the spirit'. of my invention. in view thereof it should :be understood that .the embodiments of my invention shown inthe drawsings and herein described are intended to be 'illustratiye only. andare not'intended toliimit the .oopeof myinvention. f v ",Iciaim: A

1; A'refriger tor 'comprising an insulated base, aia-'insulated rear viali" extending upward said arstationary storage section located above-saidxbaseand in fron-t of said rear-wall and having openings for 'access thereto in .both the front and biieside' wall thereof, a movable storage'seetioniocated above said base andv pivotal-lyfmountedadjaccnt one'end of said rear wail .for movement in a horizontaiplane info and out of a closedposition in which one vertical ofthe movable' section is located adacent said rear iwan' and another vertical face thereof is lcatedadjacent saidside wall of the stationary section, said `ina-tical faces of the movablesection each beign-iinsulated and each having an opening therein-'for 'access to the interior of themovable Asection, and refrigerating" `mea-ns mounted on saidfrear wail position'to Arefr-igerate said movable section when" the latteris movedito said ciosedposition. -dnrefrigerator'havingan insulated base; an insulatedrear Yu'fall extending upward from said base, alstationary section located above said base and in front of said rear Wall and having opposite side walls each of which has openings therein for access to the interior of the stationary section, said rear wall extending in opposite directions on each side of said stationary section, movable storage sections located above said base and on each side of said stationary section and pivotally mounted adjacent the opposite ends of said rear Wall, said movable storage sections each Y being movable in a horizontal plane into and out of a, closed position in which one vertical face of the movable section is located adjacent said rear Wall and another vertical face is located adjacent a. side wall of said stationary section, said faces of the movable sections being uninsulated and each having an opening therein for access to the interior of the movable sections, and means for refrigerating said stationary section whereby said movable sections will be refrigerated While in said closed positions.

, 3. A refrigerator comprising an insulated base, an insulated rear wall extending upward from said base, a stationary storage section located above said base and in front of said rear wall and having openings for access thereto in both the front and one side wall thereof, a movable storage section located above said base and pivotally mounted adjacent one end of said rear Iwall for movement in a horizontal plane into and out of a closed position in which one vertical face of the movable section is located adjacent said rear wall and another vertical face thereof is located Wall of the stationary section, of the movable section each being uninsulated and each having an opening therein for access to the interior of the movable section, and refrigerating means mounted on said rear Wall in position to refrigerate said movable section when the latter'is moved to said closed position, said movable section having a door movable independently of said section for providing access to the interior thereof while the movable section remains in said closed position.

said vertical faces 4. A refrigerator comprising an insulated base, aninsulated rear Wall extending upward from said base, a stationary storage section located above said base and in front of said rear wall and having openings for access thereto in both the front and one side wall thereof, a movable storage section located above said base and pivotally mounted adjacent one end of said rear wall for movement in a horizontal plane into-and out of a closed position in which one vertical face of the movable section is located adjacent said rear wall and another vertical face thereof is located adjacent said side wall of the stationary section, said vertical faces of the movable section each being uninsulated and each having an opening therein for access to the interior of the movable section, and refrigerating means mounted on said rear wall in position to refrigerate said movable section when the latter is moved to said closed position, said refrigerating means serving to maintain said stationary chamber at a temperature lower than that at which said movable storage section is maintained. Y

5. A refrigerator having an insulated base, an insulated rear wall extending upward from said base, a stationary section located above said base and in front of said rear wall and having opposite side walls each of which has openings therein for access to the interior of the stationary sec.- tion, said rear wall extending in opposite directions on each side of said stationary section, movable storage sections located above said base and '8 'oni each side of .said stationary section and pivotally mounted adjacent the opposite ends of said rear wall, said movable storage sections each being movable in a, horizontal plane into and out of a' closed position in which one vertical face of the movable section is located adjacent said rear wall and another vertical face is located adjacent a.A side wall of said stationary section, said faces of the movable sections being uninsulated and each having an opening therein for access to the interior of the movable sections, means on said rear wall adjacent said movable storage sections for refrigerating the latter and Vother means for refrigerating said stationary section.

f v HARRY FOWLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 2, 1924 

